On October 8, 2017 a small fire broke out in rural Sonoma County, California. By the time is was put out 110 thousand acres of wild land and heavily populated areas had burned, 8 thousand structures were gone. We had several thousand newly traumatized and unhoused residents in our community. Full recovery is not expected for three to seven years if at all. I’ve been doing whatever I can to help people whom we originally called “fire victims” and now refer to as “fire survivors”.
This satellite image using shortwave infrared (SWIR) shows damage from the wildfire in Santa Rosa. (Digital Globe via AP)
Three days ago a similar horror began in the southern California county of Ventura which is, as of this writing, still only 10% contained. 143 thousand acres have already been consumed.
I’d like to help her but have no idea what I can do that would be helpful and meaningful.
A few days ago a friend from New York emailed me:
“I know you have been heavily involved in the recovery effort after the awful fires in northern CA. I just learned that a good friend of ours lost her house to fire in Ventura. It was very fast and she was able to escape with only her cat. She has nothing. I’d like to help her but have no idea what I can do that would be helpful and meaningful. Your insights and suggestions would be appreciated.”
Here’s what I wrote to my friend and am now sharing with you:
Ask yourself and your friend…
Evacuee Martha Lynn rests with her dogs Broonzy (not pictured) and Golly (right) at a Red Cross shelter after evacuating her home following the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. (Photo: Gabrielle Lurie, The Chronicle)
1. Does she have a comfortable place to stay with adequate food, clothing and any medications she needs? For the next few days? For the next few weeks?
2. Does she have a computer connection so she can contact support agencies? They won’t get into full swing until about a week after the fires are actually out.
Terrie Burns stands in the middle of her destroyed at the scene of the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses on Monday October 9, 2017 (Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle)
5. Has she applied for FEMA and SBA funds? Although these services are mostly targeted to low income folks there are usually some benefits for all fire survivors. The SBA has very low interest loans for individuals to replace personal property lost in the fires. SBA is not only for businesses. She must register with FEMA and then apply to the SBA to establish eligibility within 2 months of the fire. Then she will have years to apply for actual grants and loans should she decide to go forward with any of them.
Many of you who read this will have more experience helping people navigate the trauma of fire and other disasters than I do. Please add your comments and suggestions in the comment section below. If you think this piece contains good advice go ahead and make it your own. Use it and share it. This is a time for open community giving. What’s here is a gift, not a piece of intellectual property. A great society is one that pulls together in time of need and celebrates the richness of its sharing.
Most of governing is a huge void. You can fill that void by exercising your rights and opportunities to control. If you don’t, someone else will, often someone with whom you don’t agree. Elected officials can’t represent the people if the people can’t articulate what they want. Most people have no conscious idea of how they govern themselves, their families, neighborhoods, cities, counties, states, not to mention national governments. Understanding your own values and perspectives at a deep level is key.
It’s also where the political rubber meets the road. So while the public is enthralled with billion-dollar campaigns for elected office and arguing about which official will view their particular beef favorably, those who wield the real power are introducing themselves to the office staff. “I’d like to volunteer for Committee X or Commission Y.” “I’m available for your next opening as a writer or an analyst.” Public opinion about the use of police
We equate voting with performing our “civic duty”. We think “government of the people” can be done by making more and more state and federal laws instead of by being mindful of the billions of small action decisions we collectively make on a daily basis.
The tag line reads: “Since 1979, the federal government has recommended flossing daily to help prevent gum disease and cavities. But according to a new report by the Associated Press, there’s little scientific evidence to support that advice. We’ll drill down into the data, and we want to hear from you: Will the news affect your oral hygiene routine?”
When dealing with personal health, paying attention to statistical probability tells us only how likely it is that a medication or treatment will help us but tells us nothing about how any one person will respond. The bottom line, on flossing or any other medical recommendation, is to look for a personal solution. The fact that a treatment doesn’t work for 99 out of 100 people does not prove it will not work for you or me.
Nadia Dennis
From a societal perspective, it’s probably not a good idea for businesses to piss off their customers. If you do a web search using keywords ‘hate’ and ‘AT&T’ you’ll find plenty of evidence supporting the growing dissatisfaction with the customer service provided by this large corporation. Such frustration is not unique to AT&T. It begins when consumers try to contact the company and must thread their way through a maze of automated options and recorded voices professing delight, sorrow and desire to please. It often ends with a meaningless survey.
(https://www.globalinnovationexchange.org)
